Doorless head lamp



C. A. MICHEL DOORL Nov. 17, 1936.

E55 HEAD LAMP Filed May 4, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 17, 1936. c. A. MICHEL DOORLESS HEAD LAMP Filed May 4, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 17, 1936 PATENT OFFICE 2,060,999 DO ORLESS HEAD LAMP Clarence A. Michel, Anderson, General Motors Corporation,

Ind., assignor to Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Delaware Application May 4, 1934, Serial No. 723,834 6 Claims. (Cl. 24041.5)

This invention has-to do with headlamps of the doorless; type. The invention has to do with the method of mounting the supporting springs urging. the reflector against the lens and the lens,

in turn, against the inturned flange of the housing; also to the means for locking the lens in position, and to the means for locating the mounting of the support against-which the reflector springs bear. Other details will be described in connection. with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, showing the lamp according to my invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section corresponding to Figure 1, but showing more details.

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 showing the method of inserting the lens in the housing.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the reflector spring securing clip.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the lens clamping member.

Figure 7 is a front view of the supporting ring to which are secured the reflector spring supports.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the reflector spring supports.

10 indicates a lamp housing provided at its forward open end with an integral inturned flange l2. Within the housing is secured a split ring [4 30 to which are riveted reflector spring supports 16 having guides l8 for the springs, apertured at 20 to receive the spring securing means. The ring 14 may be held in place by hook 22 integral with ornamental emblem 24. In assembling the parts 35 the hook 22 is passed through aperture 26 in the top of the housing, and the rear portion of the emblem is then riveted to the housing by rivets 28. The lower portions of the ring are preferably riveted to the housing as at 36. 32 indicates the reflector carrying the usual bulb or bulbs, and provided with flange 34 grooved to receive the usual sealing gasket 36. Before assembling the gasket 36 with the reflector, clips shown at 38 are 45 inserted through apertures in the bottom of the gasket groove. The reflector is secured tothe housing by passing clips 38 through reflector springs 40, seated in guides l8, and forcing the enlarged ends of the clips through the openings 20 in the bottoms of the guides whereupon the clips expand and prevent separation of the reflector from the reflector spring supports.

Swiveled in a recess in the bottom of the housing is a screw bolt 44 on which is mounted for 55 longitudinal movement a clip 46 having its forward portion 48 designed to engage the rear ofthe reflector flange 34.

With the reflector assembled with the housing in the manner described and the bolt 44 rotated to withdraw the clip 46 to the position shown in Figure 4, lens 56 may be mounted in the lamp by inserting the lower portion thereof behind the flange it at the bottom of the housing, and at the same time pressing the reflector rearwardly against the resistance of the springs 46. When the lens has been pushed downwardly far enough so that the top of the lens will clear the upper portion of the flange l2, it is thrust into the lamp and in doing so distends the opening formed by the inturned flange 12. The lens is but little larger in diameter than the opening in the housing so that but little stretching of the metal is required. When the lens has passed through the opening in the housing it is then pulled upwardly somewhat to center it. The next thing to do is to turn the bolt 44 causing the part 48 of the clip 46 to push the reflector and lens against the flange of the housing, locking it in place.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3 the lens may be provided at its lower portion with 2. lug 54 adapted to engage notch 56 formed in flange I2. By this means rotation of the lens is prevented.

It will be apparent that with the construction described the gaskets 36 would be visible. To conceal the gasket the periphery of the lens is preferably provided with a reflecting configuration rendering it substantially non-transparent. This reflecting configuration may take the form of right cones indicated at 58 combined with right angular grooves 60. The grooves make better contact with the gasket and provide better sealing. As pointed out in the prior application of Koubek, S. N. 597,919, filed March 10, 1932, the cones may vary in angle between 82 and 96 without seriously interfering with the concealing of the gasket. There may be the same variation in angle of the reflecting rings 60. This arrangement is much preferable to silvering the edge of the lens or coating the gasket as has been proposed because of the difiiculty and expense involved in silvering as well as because of the unsatisfactory results obtained.

I claim:

1. In a headlamp, a housing, a ring-like member secured within the housing and provided with apertured semi-enclosing spring seats, springs in the seats partially surrounded thereby, a reflector and an .apertured flange, expansible ring clips passing through the apertures in the reflector flange and in the spring seats adapted to hold the reflector and springs in assembled relation to the ring-like member.

2. In a headlamp, a lamp housing, a split ring member within the housing, means for securing the ring member to the housing including an emblem on the exterior of the housing having a portion in clamping engagement with the ring, a reflector and expansible spring members secured to the reflector and slidingly detachably secured through openings in the ring to support the reflector.

3. In a headlamp, a housing, a reflector within the housing, a flanged edge on the reflector, openings in the flange at a plurality of points throughout the circumference, spring clips extending to the rear secured through the openings, a ring member secured to the housing to the rear of the reflector, a plurality of apertured semi-enclosing spring seats secured to the ring and having a series of openings opposite the clips and enlarged spring heads on the clips adapted to snap through the openings in the spring seats in the ring to support the reflector.

4. In a headlamp, a housing having an inturned flange defining a lens receiving opening, a split ring secured within the housing having a plurality of apertured spring seats secured thereto adjacent apertures in the ring, a reflector, a flange on the reflector, openings in the flange, spring clips passing through these openings and the spring seats and ring apertures to secure the whole together, resilient means surrounding the clips between the spring seats and the flange to urge them apart, a gasket on the flange over the clip ends, a lens in front of the reflector in the lens receiving opening, said lens bearing against said gasket and locking means to hold the lens in place.

5. In a. headlamp, a housing, a split ring secured within the housing, a plurality of apertured spring seats secured to the ring and circumferentially spaced, said seats having two upstanding arms forming a spring guide and a central opening, a reflector, a flanged edge thereon, spring clips carried by the flanged edge at points opposite the spring seats and adapted to extend through the central openings in the latter and helical springs surrounding the spring clips, enclosed within the upstanding arms which tend to urge the reflector from the ring.

6. In a headlamp, a housing, a ring-like member secured thereto provided with apertured spring seats, a reflector having a flange, spring clips carried by the flange at spaced points opposite the spring seats, enlarged heads on the inwardly projecting ends of the clips compressible to go through the apertured seats and then expanding to hold the reflector to the ring in spaced assembled relation and a spring concentric with the clips to keep the reflector and ring apart whereby the reflector may be simply snapped into the housing or pulled therefrom.

CLARENCE A. MICHEL. 

